The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-02-24
A CURIOUS CASE.
A SUPPOSED DEsERTER BEFORE A
FEDERAL COURT MARTIAL.

Contradictory Character of the Evidence |
The Court SonpIussed-A Captains
:vice-An Explanation Made After
the Close Of the War.
II was in the spring of 1865. DesertiOns
were frequent from the rebel lines in front OF
Petersburg Hugh Norris, a sergeant OF q
New Jersey regiment, had been reduced 10
the ranks. detail for fatigue duty tive
miles away included Hugh. The following
night deserter who came in SAID he had a
brother in the Union army, and on lnVeStlga-
ton it was ascertained to be Hugh. He was
permitted to wait with Hugh's mess until his
return Meantime. the commanding officer
of Hugh's regiment had been detailed away
from his command, and his successor was u
norant Of the facts above narrated. lie re
ceived shortly after assuming command, an
order from headquarters to Sehd hu5n
Morris brother there. lie reported tIldI
Hugh was away on detail, and had no brother
in the regiment In doing 50 he leTroheousIy
signed the colonels name i'll place OF his own
The colonel had previously reported the
deserter and obtained permission for hm 10
wait for his brothers return. Meantime one
of Gen Meade's spies had come across the line
and reported that Hugh had deserted and was
giving the rebels all the information ne could
as to the Union army and position. The pre-
tended brother was doubtless a rebel spy. 1t
would SEEM also, doubtless, that the colonel
was III the game.
CHARGED WITH DESERTION.
Meade quietly ordered Wilcox's division TO
surround the New Jersey regiment, and
placed every one in it under arrest. Inc
rebel deserter could not be found. The OIL
GERS of the regiment were furious. The next
morning Fort Stedman was surprised and
caDtured by the rebels, as is known III history.
On the same day Hugh Morris returned to
his regiment, and was Immediately arrested
and brought before a court martial Tor trial.
charged with desertiOn. There was no eVl-
dence against him except the spy OF zen.
Meade before mentioned. But that was
direct and conclusive. He was on the rebel
on+oost when Morris came in, himself seeking
an opportunity to reach the Union lines. lie
ACCOMPANIED Morris to the rear and slept
with him that night i'll the prison barracks
near Petersburg While Morris was asleep
he took from him his diary, and also cut from
his head a lock of hair, both OF whIGh he
showed before the court. The last entry III
the diary was mention of the fact of detail 10
renair a locomotive engine The clip of hair
appeared to exactly match sheared lock or
Morris head Other than this and the fact
that Morris had been reduced from sergeant
to private and had expressed emphatic dis
content, there was nothing against him This,
however, was absolute and convincing. Nor
ris, in his defense, produced the four me-
chanics who were detailed with him to repair
and replace the railroad engine, which had
been thrown from the military railroad and
seriously impaired. They testified that he
was with them continuously and only left for
his company when the job was completed,
short time before he in fact rejoinefi- ms COM
pany. He Administering diary was his and
made pc Explanation of the lock of hair. The
mechanics who worked with him Identified
Inn particularly by the hat he wore, ~hlch
1ad a peculiar feather III it, and also his coat
leeves showed the dark lines which had be
ore been covered with the sergeants chev-
IONS. All the officers of his regiment testified
20 his uniform sOldierIy conduct through
many campaigns and battles, and 1t also APP
Deared that he had been deprived of his ser
yeant's rank because of communication with
the enemy against express orders.
EXPLAINED AT LAST.
The court (of which the writer presi-
dent was nonplussed by the evidence. 1t adj
adjourned early until the next morning.
Late that night they came to my tent one of
the most reliable and conscientious captains
in the whole army of the Potomac be
lieved in him next tony Saviour. He simply
said: "Morris ought not TO be convicted,
and went away. When the court reassembled
a vote was taken by the ballots There were
eight blanks and one Not guilty" and so the
finding was recorded.
Two months after, when the war was over
and the army at Washington, was invited
to take supper at the Washington house, cor
ner Third and Pennsylvania avenues by this
man Morris. There were assembled every
member of the court martial, besides citizen
friends of the accused man from New Jersey
He then made the following statement:
"When the war broke out my brother was
in business at Atlanta. l learned he was in
our front before Petersburg as member OF
the Thirteenth Alabama. | had been detailed
to go on advance picket duty during the fol
lowing night. Afterward came the order for
a locomotive mechanic and the orderly ser
geant changed my previous detail, sending
me, the only man from the regiment, to
assist in repairing the engine. Now, when
YOU understand | had made arrangements
with the rebel picket to meet my brother be-
tween the lines you can imagine had no
taste for that locomotive detail My chum
hooked almost like my twin brother. lie
knew a little something about machine iron
work l told him the facts. He refused to
go in my place unless the captain would con-
sent. 1t was asking a good deal of the cap
tain. Wen, we swapped clothing and he
went in my place. My brother missed me
and came over to our side. l missed my
brother and went over to their side. The
Federal spy met me just as he testified, and |
told him all the COck-Snd-bull stories 1 could
think about the Union army. The assault on
Fort SStedman wholly unknown to me,
but | got away in the melee and returned to
my company Then came the court martial
Had l told my story then l do now
should have been shot at sunrise. But the
facts you now know"
This man is manager of the Michigan
Southern railroad-Army Officer in AIilwau-
l1ee Telegraph.
nouO piatf